Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Mental Health Awareness amongst School Students Across Delhi-NCR: A Pilot Study


Affiliations
1 You're Wonderful Project, New Delhi, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The present study was aimed at initiating a conversation about the importance of mental health among school children. This project has been founded with the aim to equip 6th-8th graders with the knowledge of common mental health issues through the process of: a) creating awareness, b) encouraging acceptance, c) ensuring prevention and d) assisting with cure. For this study , a qualitative design was used. A questionnaire was developed that aimed at identifying the gaps between the current SPEAK module (the module curated by the Y ou're Wonderful Project; to deliver workshops around mental health awareness amongst the school students) and the needs of the school children. The data was collected from 106 participants. The participants were recruited as volunteers for the SPEAK program who would deliver workshops in different schools across Delhi-NCR,they came from different backgrounds like Psychology, English, History, among others, and were adults between the ages of 18-45. The qualitative data collected from the participants was analysed using content analysis. Effort was made to extract the major issues faced by the school children as listed by the participants. The results indicated that the major themes identified as per the school workshops by the volunteers delivering the workshops were bullying, issues related to exam, anxiety related to academic issues, and issues related to family . In addition, more information on how to better conduct the workshop and engage with the students, was also noted during this process. This study is a pilot study that will further help to understand how to ensure the effectiveness of the SPEAK program, as well as conduct more enhanced workshops around mental health awareness among school students.

Keywords

School, Mental Health, Children, Adolescents, Sensitization, Mental Disorder.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Adolescent mental health (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.who. int/news-room/factsheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health

  • Barman, R., & Bansal, P . (2011). Psychopathology of school going children in the age group of 10-15 years. International Journal of Applied and Basic Medical Research,1(1), 43. doi:10.4103/2229-516x.81980

  • Children's Mental Health (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.apa. org/pi/families/ children-mental-health

  • Connection Between Mental & Physical Health (n.d.). Retrieved from https://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/connection-between-mental-and-physical-health/

  • Eschenbeck, H., Lehner, L., Hofmann, H., Bauer, S., Becker, K., Diestelkamp, S., & Salize, H. (2019). School-based mental health promotion in children and adolescents with Stress SOS using online or face-to-face interventions: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial within the ProHEAD Consortium. Trials, 20, Issue 1. doi:10.1186/s13063-018-3159-5

  • Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2010). Bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. Archives of Suicide Research,14(3), 206-221. doi:10.1080/13811118.2010.494133

  • Kowalski, R. M., & Limber, S. P . (2007). Electronic bullying among middle school students. Journal of Adolescent Health, 41(6), S22–S30. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.08.017

  • Lu, C., Li, Z., & Patel, V . (2018). Global child and adolescent mental health: The orphan of development assistance for health. PLOS Medicine, 15(3), e1002524. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002524

  • Missed opportunities (2016). A review of recent evidence into children and young people's mental health by Lorraine Khan (Rep.). London.

  • Nair, S., Ganjiwale, J., Kharod, N., V arma, J., & Nimbalkar, S. M. (2017). Epidemiological survey of mental health in adolescent school children of Gujarat, India. BMJ Paediatrics Open,1(1), e000139. doi:10.1136/bmjpo-2017-000139

  • Physical health & mental health (2018, August 27). Retrieved from https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/p/physical-health-and-mental-health

  • Ranasinghe, S., Ramesh, S., & Jacobsen, K. H. (2016). Hygiene and mental health among middle school students in India and 11 other countries. Journal of Infection and Public Health, 9(4), 429-435. doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2015.11.007

  • Saluja, G., Iachan, R., Scheidt, P . C., Overpeck, M. D., Sun, W., & Giedd, J. N. (2004). Prevalence of and risk factors for depressive symptoms among young adolescents. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 158(8), 760. doi:10.1001/archpedi.158.8.760

  • Sharan, P ., & Sagar, R. (2007). Mental health policy for children and adolescents in developing countries. Journal of Indian Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 3(1), 1-4.

  • Shrivastava, S., Shrivastava, P ., & Ramasamy, J. (2015). Childhood and adolescence: Challenges in mental health. Türkiye Halk Sağlığı Dergisi, 12(2), 136-136.doi:10.20518/tjph.173094

  • Verma, S., Sharma, D., & Larson, R. W. (2002). School stress in India: Effects on time and daily emotions. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 26(6), 500508. doi:10.1080/0165025 0143000454


Abstract Views: 481

PDF Views: 0




  • Mental Health Awareness amongst School Students Across Delhi-NCR: A Pilot Study

Abstract Views: 481  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Sanya Dhawan
You're Wonderful Project, New Delhi, India
S. Kaushik
You're Wonderful Project, New Delhi, India
Arushi Chatterjee
You're Wonderful Project, New Delhi, India
Shivangi Khattar
You're Wonderful Project, New Delhi, India
Akhilesh Nair
You're Wonderful Project, New Delhi, India
Akash Saxena
You're Wonderful Project, New Delhi, India
Ambikesh Sharma
You're Wonderful Project, New Delhi, India

Abstract


The present study was aimed at initiating a conversation about the importance of mental health among school children. This project has been founded with the aim to equip 6th-8th graders with the knowledge of common mental health issues through the process of: a) creating awareness, b) encouraging acceptance, c) ensuring prevention and d) assisting with cure. For this study , a qualitative design was used. A questionnaire was developed that aimed at identifying the gaps between the current SPEAK module (the module curated by the Y ou're Wonderful Project; to deliver workshops around mental health awareness amongst the school students) and the needs of the school children. The data was collected from 106 participants. The participants were recruited as volunteers for the SPEAK program who would deliver workshops in different schools across Delhi-NCR,they came from different backgrounds like Psychology, English, History, among others, and were adults between the ages of 18-45. The qualitative data collected from the participants was analysed using content analysis. Effort was made to extract the major issues faced by the school children as listed by the participants. The results indicated that the major themes identified as per the school workshops by the volunteers delivering the workshops were bullying, issues related to exam, anxiety related to academic issues, and issues related to family . In addition, more information on how to better conduct the workshop and engage with the students, was also noted during this process. This study is a pilot study that will further help to understand how to ensure the effectiveness of the SPEAK program, as well as conduct more enhanced workshops around mental health awareness among school students.

Keywords


School, Mental Health, Children, Adolescents, Sensitization, Mental Disorder.

References